2025 Rabbitohs Round 8 - Vs Storm

[speedster]

Round 8 Friday 25th April - Storm v Rabbitohs at AAMI Park, Melbourne (9, Fox) - 8.10pm AEST​

HEAD TO HEAD	TOTAL	SOU	MEL	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES 1998-2024	41	7	34	0
NRL ERA 1998-2024 AAMI	41 12	7 0	34 12	0 0

Overall winning % at this venue - Rabbitohs 0% - Storm 76%.

Current standings -
8th Rabbitohs 4 wins 3 losses 0 byes -36 diff, 8 pts,
2nd Storm 4 win 2 losses 1 bye +70 diff, 10 pts

NEVER WON DOWN IN MELBOURNE.

YET...

 

[speedster]

Rabbitohs NRL squad for ANZAC Round eight against Storm this ANZAC Day Friday​

South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tue 22 Apr 2025, 04:00 PM

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their squad for ANZAC Round eight against the Melbourne Storm to be played this ANZAC Day, Friday 25 April, at 8:10pm at AAMI Park.

Rabbitohs Head Coach Wayne Bennett has shuffled the team’s backline with Latrell Mitchell named at fullback, Bayleigh Bentley-Hape named on the wing and Campbell Graham moving to centre. Jayden Sullivan returns from suspension at half back with Cody Walker returning to five-eighth. Euan Aitken has been named in the second row, Jai Arrow shifts to lock, and Jye Gray moves to the interchange bench.

The players will be wearing the Rabbitohs’ 2025 ANZAC Round Jersey in Friday’s game. This year’s design honours the Royal Australian Navy’s Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Group — a unit known for its intense preparation, precision, and resilience under pressure. It also marks the fourth year of a strong and evolving partnership between the Rabbitohs and the Royal Australian Navy — a relationship grounded in shared values like discipline, leadership, and service to something greater than self.

The father of Rabbitohs player Tallis Duncan and Chief Clearance Diver, Kaine Duncan, says: “To have an organisation like the Rabbitohs want to be associated with the Clearance Diving branch, and then to have my son run out on ANZAC Day in a jersey that I represent as well… it’s incredible.”

The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ squad for ANZAC Day Friday’s clash with the Storm is:​

1- Latrell Mitchell
2- Bayleigh Bentley-Hape
3- Jack Wighton
4- Campbell Graham
5- Isaiah Tass
6- Cody Walker (c)
7- Jayden Sullivan
8- Sean Keppie
9- Peter Mamouzelos
10- Junior Tatola
11- Keaon Koloamatangi
12- Euan Aitken
13- Jai Arrow
Interchange:
14- Jye Gray
15- Siliva Havili
16- Davvy Moale
17- Tallis Duncan
18- Liam Le Blanc
19- Lewis Dodd
20- Thomas Fletcher
21- Salesi Ataata
22- Declan Casey
Coach – Wayne Bennett

 

[speedster]

Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Kane Bradley 3. Grant Anderson 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Joe Chan 17. Lazarus Vaalepu 18. Ativalu Lisati 19. Sualauvi Faalogo 20. Keagan Russell-Smith 21. Coby Williamson 22. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

 

[speedster]

Well, he's gone and done it now. Latrell back to his preferred fullback position to try to get the most out of him and Jye Gray, as terrific as he has been running the ball back, onto the bench to be used as an X-factor super sub.

Aitken to edge and Arrow to lock, Sully back at half. Thought he might go Keaon back there but Jai is a better middle than he is an edge. Still no AJ and so with Campbell also back to his best position, a new winger in Bayleigh and Tass remains too. Cody also much better at 6 and he and Trell combining in attack as the 1 & 6 has been sorely missed in my opinion.

Lets see what they can do in a town where the club is still winless after almost 3 decades.

 

[speedster]

I can understand bringing in BBH on the right wing as he is pretty tall. Up against the flying Xavier Coates, he will be up against it but together with Campbell Graham out there, they will look to use their own height to combat Coates amazing prowess in the air.

On the other side, Kane Bradley is also tall timber and against Tass, I would expect Hughes to point more than a few of his bombs that way too.

 

[Rabbits20]

It’s a catch 22 we get up field better with Jye but struggle to put points on inside opposition 20 when we get there.

Issue with Trell at back is where are the metres coming from to get up field now? It won’t come from our forwards we lack size and our pack is running the least metres of all forward pack in the NRL so far this season. Trell support play isn’t good either often not there. The area Trell is better in is in attack he can help us score more points when in opposition 20. Issue is we have to get up there first which is a struggle and without Jye run metres missing that’ll make it harder.

We have 4 wingers out mate AJ Munro Myers Ravalawa so I think this week was better to play Trell at centre and Jye at the back. It’s a massive ask for a park footballer in Bentley Hape this week it’s like he’s being thrown to the wolves don’t be shocked if the Storm winger gets a hat trick down that edge.

As for Dodd why isn’t he getting a go? We need an organiser? Sullivan isn’t that and doesn’t provide direction. I can’t understand why we bought Dodd over and now should be the chance to play him but we don’t I am baffled. I see Sullivan as more of a 14 personally.

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Unfortunately we're on a hiding to nothing. I just hope Jye isn't too upset about having to make way for Trell when he has done nothing wrong.

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Unfortunately we're on a hiding to nothing. I just hope Jye isn't too upset about having to make way for Trell when he has done nothing wrong.

....And Mitchell has done nothing to deserve being moved to FB....

 

[BotanyBorn&Bred]

Rabbitohs NRL squad for ANZAC Round eight against Storm this ANZAC Day Friday​

South Sydney Rabbitohs
Tue 22 Apr 2025, 04:00 PM

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their squad for ANZAC Round eight against the Melbourne Storm to be played this ANZAC Day, Friday 25 April, at 8:10pm at AAMI Park.

Rabbitohs Head Coach Wayne Bennett has shuffled the team’s backline with Latrell Mitchell named at fullback, Bayleigh Bentley-Hape named on the wing and Campbell Graham moving to centre. Jayden Sullivan returns from suspension at half back with Cody Walker returning to five-eighth. Euan Aitken has been named in the second row, Jai Arrow shifts to lock, and Jye Gray moves to the interchange bench.

The players will be wearing the Rabbitohs’ 2025 ANZAC Round Jersey in Friday’s game. This year’s design honours the Royal Australian Navy’s Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Group — a unit known for its intense preparation, precision, and resilience under pressure. It also marks the fourth year of a strong and evolving partnership between the Rabbitohs and the Royal Australian Navy — a relationship grounded in shared values like discipline, leadership, and service to something greater than self.

The father of Rabbitohs player Tallis Duncan and Chief Clearance Diver, Kaine Duncan, says: “To have an organisation like the Rabbitohs want to be associated with the Clearance Diving branch, and then to have my son run out on ANZAC Day in a jersey that I represent as well… it’s incredible.”

The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ squad for ANZAC Day Friday’s clash with the Storm is:​

1- Latrell Mitchell
2- Bayleigh Bentley-Hape
3- Jack Wighton
4- Campbell Graham
5- Isaiah Tass
6- Cody Walker (c)
7- Jayden Sullivan
8- Sean Keppie
9- Peter Mamouzelos
10- Junior Tatola
11- Keaon Koloamatangi
12- Euan Aitken
13- Jai Arrow
Interchange:
14- Jye Gray
15- Siliva Havili
16- Davvy Moale
17- Tallis Duncan
18- Liam Le Blanc
19- Lewis Dodd
20- Thomas Fletcher
21- Salesi Ataata
22- Declan Casey
Coach – Wayne Bennett

That sux

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

....And Mitchell has done nothing to deserve being moved to FB....

Absolutely brother! I'm really not happy about this. The best we've played this year was when Jye was fullback and Trell was in the centres

 

[speedster]

I hope to see Jye gray play plenty of minutes coming on for who I don't know. But I hope when he is on, he plays out wide when we have the ball in attacking positions so Trell can get his attacking game going but then goes to the back to field the long kicks and run them back while Trell moves out to the centres while we're rucking it out through yardage - and takes his turn helping out too using his big frame (but please just take the tackle and play it).

Mostly Wayne has decided to play his best players in their best position because so many were playing out of position last week and it didn't exactly come off.

Got to feel for Doddy though. On the other hand, his form even in reggies has been luke warm at best. He hasn't been knocking the door down when he really should be. Sullivan is no world beater either but maybe has better chemistry with Cody?

In Wayne we trust.

 

[speedster]

And as for deserve, firstly, as the great Harry Callahan once said, "deserve's got nothing to do with it!" as he blew some punk away. Wayne and all of us should be looking at South Sydney winning. That's it. Latrell Mitchell is a representative player and a superstar of the game who has far more credit in the bank than Jye Gray and Wayne needs to get him firing for us to be at our best.

Simple as that. I just want Souths to win and I don't care who has more gold stars on their forehead or who is more popular at this stage of the season.

Just win baby!

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

I just want to win too but I also believe you have to earn certain things.For Trell to supplant Jye he needs to have been playing good enough to deserve it. He hasn't. Jye on the other hand has been excellent and as such fully deserves to retain his spot. So Harry was wrong in my books, deserve has everything to do with it.

 

[speedster]

None of us seriously expected to beat Penrith earlier in the season but we did and we did it by playing high energy football and put together really great attacking shapes early on to spread their defence before making hay through the middle for a stack of points in the 1st half. They were coming to get us in the 2nd half but we hung tough and kept them at bay.

No one will be expecting us to beat Melbourne in Melbourne where we have never won.

Never say never!

 

[speedster]

I just want to win too but I also believe you have to earn certain things.For Trell to supplant Jye he needs to have been playing good enough to deserve it. He hasn't. Jye on the other hand has been excellent and as such fully deserves to retain his spot. So Harry was wrong in my books, deserve has everything to do with it.

It's not just about form this year alone. You can't forget what the experienced players bring to your side. If you want to talk deserve, then Latrell Mitchell deserves to be our fullback by a mile on the back of his entire career and not just the last few weeks.

Otherwise it's just cherry picking the factors you want to include and leaving out the bits you don't to create a very different picture. Gray's a great young prospect but he is still just a youngster that has not got the runs on the board yet to oust Latrell Mitchell from his regular and best position. Not even close..

Please. It's the other way round. And Trell hasn't had a shot yet at fullback this year so how can you say he doesn't deserve it? He's being wasted playing in the line instead of out the back.

 

[speedster]

ALSO, I want to see Jye Gray play in the halves and not just at fullback. That would be much, much better for his future development. He is not simply a fullback. He is much better than that! Let him kill it as a super sub for a while to grow his game.

 

[handyman2190]

Mr latrell may have won us the roosters match but has been in poor form, this grabing players is when he is frustrated, bennet is trying to stir him into action, he is suppose to be our best player,but has done nothing, for someone trying to make up for his wrongdoings he is lackluster,and i dont think he is fit,losing weight dosent mean u can run miles,honestly unless he picks it up he is useless and i wouldnt resign him

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Fullback is every bit as important a position as the halves. To say he is not simply a fullback devalues that position.

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Mr latrell may have won us the roosters match but has been in poor form, this grabing players is when he is frustrated, bennet is trying to stir him into action, he is suppose to be our best player,but has done nothing, for someone trying to make up for his wrongdoings he is lackluster,and i dont think he is fit,losing weight dosent mean u can run miles,honestly unless he picks it up he is useless and i wouldnt resign him

Totally agree Handy although I would say that Cam is our best player not Trell.

 

[speedster]

Fullback is every bit as important a position as the halves. To say he is not simply a fullback devalues that position.

No, I said he's not simply a fullback meaning not only a fullback - I did not say he is simply not a fullback. Very different meaning. How could you misread what I was saying so obviously? LOL! I didn't devalue anything.

You need to calm yourself sir. I think you're let your emotions interfere with your judgement on this topic too easily.

We ain't going to agree on this and we don't need to. Let's move on shall we?